School

Job

Truck Driving Schools in Maryland

About Truck Driving Schools in Maryland

Total Schools:

16

Average Tuition Cost:

$4,966

Average Loan Amount:

$6,107

Average Scholarship Award:

$1,150

Average Classroom Size:

21 Students

If you want to increase your income and start a new career as quickly as possible, a Maryland truck driving school might be the next step for you. These schools help prepare you for the process of earning your commercial driver's license, which is what you need in order to work as a truck driver. There are 14 schools in Maryland, giving you plenty of educational choices. The average cost of tuition in Maryland is $5033, but most truck driving programs are eligible for federal financial aid. This means that you may be able to get federal student loans or grants to cover the cost of your education. The average scholarship award in Maryland is $1198, and the average student loan amount is $5290.

Find CDL Training in Maryland

Truck driving programs in Maryland include two different segments. First, you learn everything you need to know for the written part of your driving exam. The second part of the program is spent learning how to drive a large truck. The hands-on part of your education is done one-on-one with an instructor, in order to give you plenty of time to get comfortable driving a truck. Most programs in Maryland take between six and eight weeks of full-time study to complete.

After completing your Maryland truck driver training program, the next step is to earn your commercial driver's license from the . The first step is taking a written exam; if you want additional endorsements on your license, you have to take one exam for each endorsement. After passing your written exams, you have to pass a skills exam. Upon passing your skills exam, you can get your CDL.

Life in the Maryland Trucking Industry

The nation is currently experiencing a huge demand for truck drivers. The predicts that job growth for truck drivers may increase by 21% between 2010 and 2020. In Maryland, expects an average of 610 new truck driving jobs each year between 2010 and 2020.

Truck drivers in Maryland can look forward to earning a very good starting salary. According to O*Net, the median salary for a truck driver in Maryland is $40,900 per year (O*Net, 2012). Most truck drivers in Maryland earn a salary between $27,500 per year and $59,900 per year (O*Net, 2012).

Since so many industries rely on truck drivers, you may experience many different work environments during your career. Most truck drivers find interstate driving jobs. With an interstate driving job, you spend most of your time out of the state. Depending on your employer, you may return home once every week or every two weeks. In-state driving jobs are fairly uncommon, and they allow you to return home every night. Some of the biggest truck driving employers in Maryland include C.R. England, West Side Transport, Schneider National, and CRST Expedited. Since many companies have a shortage of truck drivers, you may be able to earn a sign-on bonus as a new driver.

Much like other New England states, Maryland is known for its friendly people, tight-knit communities, and beautiful landscapes. This makes it a very popular state for truck drivers and their families to settle down in. Although the cost of living is about 20% higher than the national average, according to , there are many rural and suburban areas where the cost of living may be lower. If you want to live in a city, you might consider Baltimore, Rockville, Gaithersburg, or Frederick. However, most of Maryland is covered in smaller villages or towns, which still offer quick and easy access to larger cities.